5 ms·

SoundCloud's problem was going too big too fast. The investors think that SC is going to compete with iTunes/YouTube/Spotify/etc. It's not. It's an audio file h

by jbob2000 9y ago

SoundCloud's problem was going too big too fast. The investors think that SC is going to compete with iTunes/YouTube/Spotify/etc. It's not. It's an audio file hosting service. It has incredible professional use cases, but it is not a mass market audio streaming service.

virgil_disgr4ce 9y ago
Agreed. I've never personally seen it as a source for music I want to listen to on a daily basis (though clearly a lot of people do use it that way).
- seanp2k2 9y ago
  At one point, back in like 2012 when trap was all the rage, SoundCloud had interesting stuff coming out every day. I'd listen to it in the car, and was annoyed at the bug where turning your phone to landscape required switch apps then switching back to trigger SoundCloud to actually reorient itself. It was my source of new music, and going to trap shows and clubs in the Bay Area, I'd know what was being played even if it was super new. I remember making a joke at one point when some friends commented on my SC usage that "I only listen to music that was released today". We lived in the future for a little while there.
  - virgil_disgr4ce 9y ago
    I'll evolve that wonderful quote slightly: "I only listen to music that was made today" could be an amazing guiding principal for SoundCloud that differentiates it from Spotify et al.
WalterSear 9y ago
It wasn't too big too fast. It was the wrong direction entirely. They misunderstood their market and their product, and thought they could become Spotify. It's like Etsy deciding they want to be the next Amazon.
- BlackjackCF 9y ago
  Agreed. They decided to chase more users, instead of trying to foster relationships with artists and smaller labels.
  - bigbugbag 9y ago
    Chasing more users makes sense if your objective is to increase the price tag and be bought. Foster relationships with users makes sense if you want to build a long lasting community and service. But the record industry will attempt to destroy you if you grow too much.

virgil_disgr4ce 9y ago

Agreed. I've never personally seen it as a source for music I want to listen to on a daily basis (though clearly a lot of people do use it that way).

seanp2k2 9y ago
At one point, back in like 2012 when trap was all the rage, SoundCloud had interesting stuff coming out every day. I'd listen to it in the car, and was annoyed at the bug where turning your phone to landscape required switch apps then switching back to trigger SoundCloud to actually reorient itself. It was my source of new music, and going to trap shows and clubs in the Bay Area, I'd know what was being played even if it was super new. I remember making a joke at one point when some friends commented on my SC usage that "I only listen to music that was released today". We lived in the future for a little while there.
- virgil_disgr4ce 9y ago
  I'll evolve that wonderful quote slightly: "I only listen to music that was made today" could be an amazing guiding principal for SoundCloud that differentiates it from Spotify et al.

WalterSear 9y ago

It wasn't too big too fast. It was the wrong direction entirely. They misunderstood their market and their product, and thought they could become Spotify. It's like Etsy deciding they want to be the next Amazon.

BlackjackCF 9y ago
Agreed. They decided to chase more users, instead of trying to foster relationships with artists and smaller labels.
- bigbugbag 9y ago
  Chasing more users makes sense if your objective is to increase the price tag and be bought. Foster relationships with users makes sense if you want to build a long lasting community and service. But the record industry will attempt to destroy you if you grow too much.